Historic Kenmore is known for many things; for being the home of Fielding and Betty Washington Lewis, for its Georgian-style brick architecture, its famous ornate decorative plaster ceilings, and, last but not least, for its beautiful gardens. Unfortunately, today only three out of Kenmore’s nearly 1300 original acres remain but with the help of The … Continue reading The Gardens of Historic Kenmore
“Rakes of Mallow/Yankee Doodle” by Colonial Faire [Video]
Colonial Faire, an 18th century music group, recently performed at Historic Kenmore. In this video, they play a medley of "Rakes of Mallow" and "Yankee Doodle." Read about the history behind "Yankee Doodle" in this blog post. https://youtu.be/C3dJb9d9dqI
Agreeable Amusements: Music & Dancing in the Life of George Washington
On September 10, 1748, sixteen-year-old George Washington paid 3 shillings, 9 pence to a “musick master for my entrance.” Young Washington recorded these sparse details in Ledger Book Zero, a personal account ledger listing credits and debits with family, friends, and business associates between 1747 and 1750. This, as far as we can tell, is … Continue reading Agreeable Amusements: Music & Dancing in the Life of George Washington
“The Greatest Natural & National Curiosity in the World”: Joice Heth, P.T. Barnum, and …George Washington?
Most of us have heard of Phineas Taylor “P.T.” Barnum, founder of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. During his life, P.T. Barnum was a businessman and politician but was most famously known for being an entertainer. His name became synonymous with circuses, sideshows, and showmanship. Before he introduced bearded ladies and 800-lb … Continue reading “The Greatest Natural & National Curiosity in the World”: Joice Heth, P.T. Barnum, and …George Washington?
Five International Influences on George Washington’s Early Life
An Essay of a New and Compact Map, Containing the Known Parts of the Terrestrial Globe by Jacques-Nicolas Bellin was published in 1750 when George Washington was 18-years-old. Credit: Wikipedia. Ferry Farm was a unique place to live in the mid-1700s. Situated where farm, frontier, city, river, and road converged on the edge of English … Continue reading Five International Influences on George Washington’s Early Life
Ear Spoons, Ear Wax, and Their Uses
Editor’s Note: Looking back in time, people’s personal hygiene, fashion choices, medical treatments, and more sometimes look, at the very least, bizarre, if not outright disgusting. When confronted with these weird or gross practices, our first reaction can be to dismiss our ancestors as primitive, ignorant, or just silly. Before such judgments, however, we should try … Continue reading Ear Spoons, Ear Wax, and Their Uses
Spot the Differences: Tools of the Trade
The end of the 2020 dig season at George Washington’s Boyhood Home at Ferry Farm last October required we tidy up of all our tools used during the excavation. We cleaned and stored away the multiple shovels, trowels, and wheel barrels used at the site and hauled the sifting screens back to the shed. We … Continue reading Spot the Differences: Tools of the Trade
“Dined at the City Tavern”
Christmas in the 18th century was celebrated quite differently than it is today. Unlike today, one of the most important (and wildest) celebrations of the season took place on January 6th, or Epiphany. Also known as Twelfth Night, this holiday is more comparable to our present-day New Year’s celebrations in style and entertainment. Our stereotypical … Continue reading “Dined at the City Tavern”
Making Eggnog
Eggnog is a staple drink during the holiday season. Historians debate the exact ancestry of eggnog but most agree that it originated from early medieval “posset”, a hot, milky, ale-like drink. Eventually, expensive and rare ingredients like eggs, sherry, brandy and Madeira were added and the drink became the trademark of the upper class. During … Continue reading Making Eggnog
The Christmastime Escape of Stephen and Guile
“My Dear Brother, I wish you to give Howell some advice how to Proseed in regard to two Negroes that Runaway from me a few days before Christmas…” With those words in the early spring of 1794, Betty Lewis informed her brother, George Washington, of a difficult situation. She also provided us with a few … Continue reading The Christmastime Escape of Stephen and Guile
Lives & Legacies 